Moment
by thesecretoflife
Summary: Beginning high school means change, but does that mean losing each other? For everything to fall apart, it only takes a moment.
1. Chapter 1

Cory looked over his new class. Ever since the semester had started they'd been restless, barely able to focus. There was a nervous energy brewing beneath the surface, located right in the center of the room. The familiar faces: Riley, Maya, Farkle, Lucas, Zay, and now Smackle, too. All of them fine, for now, but it couldn't go on like this. Cory looked at the board one last time, erased the lesson title he'd written, and turned to face them.

"Let's talk about science for a minute, eh? Do you guys know what causes a volcanic eruption? I'll give you a hint. It's mostly about pressure."

"Like the pressure that makes diamonds, sir?" Lucas asked. There was a quick glance that flickered between Riley and Lucas. She smiled a little and folded her hands.

"Not exactly, Mr. Friar. This is a different kind of pressure. More internal than external. We already know that pressure can make or break you, but I think we've yet to see what happens when the pressure coming from inside gets the best of us. When something is building and building with no way out."

"We're still doing this? Even in high school this man is just teaching whatever subject he wants and we're gonna stand for it?" Zay stood up in his seat, looked around the silent room, and then sat back down. "I guess we're gonna stand for it."

Riley's hands were now fidgeting in their place on the desk. The clock's ticking seemed louder to her, the room smaller. Her breath was suddenly loud enough for her to notice every inhale and exhale.

"When a volcano erupts, it can change everything about the landscape that it took up. It destroys towns. It wipes out populations. Sometimes ash fills the sky miles and miles away. When pressure that powerful is in play, it's hard to escape the damage."

"So why would we want that to happen to us?" Riley caught herself off guard, her voice louder than she had intended and almost cracking.

"No, really Matthews, what happens after an eruption? What do you do once a volcano erupts" Maya leaned forward in her desk, her eyes wide. She'd been starting to understand that some feelings find a way out, whether you want them to or not.

Cory looked down at Riley, now focused on her hands rather than anyone else in the room, and shook his head a little. "I think we're going to find out soon, Maya."

Again, there was a tremor just under the surface.


	2. Chapter 2

"So, is this how all of your classes work here?" Smackle peered over her lunch tray at the group, now silently picking at their meals. It was new for her to be around so many people with such loud personalities, but even she could tell that there was more going on than Farkle had explained. They could barely look at each other, lest they upset the careful balance that they'd cultivated to keep up appearances.

"Well, actually," Lucas began.

"You really shouldn't be flirting with me right now. Things are already pretty complicated for you in this moment, right?"

Lucas opened his mouth to reply, but then fell back into his seat, amused but defeated.

Farkle smiled and nudged Smackle's arm a little. "It's different with Mr. Matthews, Smackle. We're learning just as much about ourselves as we are about history."

It was hard for Smackle not to smile with Farkle so close to her, even if things were tense around all of them. Getting to go to school with him full time meant seeing him at his best, among his friends. Not to mention, sharing classes would definitely inspire a little friendly competition.

"Or science or math…" Zay mumbled, crossing his arms. He knew the joke was going stale by this point, but with things getting so quiet he was working overtime to be the class clown he felt they needed. He eyed Lucas, sitting between Riley and Maya. He was smiling, but he knew that underneath his Mr. Perfect façade that his mind was racing. The three of them, running in circles.

"I just don't understand how putting the personal before the practical could be a winning strategy. High school is about getting an education to prepare for college, after all. You can't waste it with…drama." Smackle watched the group recoil from the word, all flexing or flinching before settling back into masks they'd made for themselves.

"Not even Pippin?" Farkle asked with a grin.

"You know that's not the kind of drama I mean," Smackle replied.

Riley still hadn't said a word since class. She spun her spoon around her food without taking a bite, images of smoke and lava filling her mind. Maya eyed her worriedly, knowing that the sunshine she was so used to was going to be replaced by overcast skies for a while.

"You know what doesn't require any drama? Shopping. Maybe Riley and I can take you to Demolition after school, Smackle. We can learn all about, uh, capitalism. Great research for all your science-y stuff."

"I appreciate the offer, Maya, but your companion doesn't really seem up for the lesson. Besides, I'll be spending my afternoon with Farkle."

Riley didn't look up from her plate, now working her mashed potatoes into the shape of a mountain. If only she could find a way to change things in her own world. Push away all the confusion and turn mountains back into mole hills. Make everything look the way it did before things became so complicated. Go back to the times when she knew exactly what everyone meant to her. Maybe even back to when she could imagine herself to be anything she wanted, like a princess waiting for her prince.

"I wouldn't be opposed to company, if that would be alright with you, Smackle," Farkle replied, his eyes on the evolving terrain of Riley's plate.

"Well, I suppose that would be alright…"

"It's settled then. Smoothies at Topanga's, my treat." Farkle smiled. Everyone exchanged glances, never settling for too long, trying not to give things away…not just yet.


	3. Chapter 3

"I still can't believe you signed up for an art class, Huckleberry." Maya eyed his sloppy canvas, a mediocre mess of blue shading. His brow was furrowed in concentration. He really was trying, though it didn't quite show in the work.

"Well, after we fought so hard to keep them last year I figured I should take one. Besides, it's kind of relaxing, I think. When you really get into it, it's just you and the canvas. You get to bring an image from your mind out into the real world, you know?"

"Music was full, huh?" Maya smirked. Sometimes she could see right through the nice guy front. She just wished it was always so easy to see what he was thinking…to know what he wanted. She moved her attention back to her own canvas: a sunset just beginning to blur into the night sky. The moon rising to meet the setting sun. It reminded her of Riley, the way everyone tried to pin them down as light and dark, good and evil. It didn't feel so simple anymore, somehow. Things were changing so quickly. The sky was full of color.

"I tried to sign up so early, too." Lucas dabbed a blob of white paint, trying to save his scene, but it just blended back into the other blues. "How come my sky looks like a mess and yours looks like a masterpiece?"

"Maybe your head's a mess, so whatever image you've got in your mind just translates the same way on the page."

"Very astute, Maya. I like your analysis, there. Here Lucas, let me show you a technique for your shading there." The art teacher bent between them to demonstrate. "Although, I would say that art isn't just about recreating an image in your head. It's taking an image from your head and recreating it with your heart. I don't think anyone attempts to recreate something as accurately as possible anymore. It's not just about creating a kind of photograph, right? It's about showing your own hand—what this image looks like and means to you, whether that's realistic or abstract. It's a balance. Head and heart. That's what makes a real masterpiece." She dabbed her brush carefully against Lucas' canvas, turning his white-blue blob into a cloud. "Just like that."

"Thanks, mam." Lucas said. When the teacher walked away, he turned back to Maya. "I really do think this is kind of relaxing. It is weird not being in class with everyone though."

"Riley wanted to sign up, but after all those purple cats…it didn't really work out, I guess. I mean, I don't mind it so much. I love being around Riley, of course, but it's nice to have a place where I can just be alone in my element. I mean, no offense or anything, but I didn't really expect you to be tagging along, Ranger Rick." She eyed him carefully at the mention of Riley, but he seemed to slide it off. There he went, so easily hidden again when just a few moments ago she'd been able to read him like a book.

"Hey, none taken. And don't let me bother you, ya know. I don't want to get in your way. You actually have something to learn here. I'm probably pretty useless at this."

"You're not bothering me, Lucas." Maya said, a little quiet. "Though, it is nice to see you be bad at something for once. Maybe you should give your painting to Farkle once you're finished. I'm sure he'd appreciate the reminder."

"You know what? Maybe I will."


	4. Chapter 4

"Chemistry, because that's exactly what you and I have," Smackle beamed up at Farkle at their lab table, finally pleased to be in a challenging class. On the opposite side of the room, Zay and Riley shared a look.

"Now don't start expecting me to be that sweet to you. I'm nice and all, but that kind of sweetness just aint normal." Zay shook his head at the two of them, clearly a little grossed out by their PDA but still playful.

"Oh come on, Zay. They like each other. They're just excited to spend time together." They turned to look as Smackle and Farkle giggled, spelling out compliments with the periodic table.

Even if they were a tad cheesy, seeing Smackle and Farkle together always warmed Riley's hear a little. They seemed so perfect for each other, like two sides of a coin. It made her wonder about what would happen if she were to really be together with someone so much like her. She pushed this thought away quickly. This wasn't the time to think about Lucas. Just at the mention of his name all these moments would flash through her mind. Tombstone. Something happening between him and Maya. Stepping back. Farkle revealing her feelings. The three of them on New Years…all of it one huge mess, and nowhere to turn. But still, looking at how happy Smackle and Farkle seemed to be…what if the universe really wanted them together?

"Okay, I'm starting to see your point," Riley said, turning away from the pair. "but they are cute. Do they make you miss a certain someone, Zay?" Riley scrunched her face into a fish-lipped kiss. "Va-ness-a?"

Zay pushed her back. "For your information, I do happen to miss her, but it's got nothing to do with those adorable weirdos."

"Whatever you say, Zay." Riley twirled a piece of hair around her finger, blowing a few more kisses to really seal the deal.

"Right back at ya, cotton candy face."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's supposed to mean I know you've got something going on in that pretty little head of yours."

"Oh, really?" Riley raised an eyebrow, sarcastic.

"Look, I'm no expert, but if you're trying to hide it, you're not doing so great of a job. It's like uh…like a phase change, right?" Zay picked up one of the ice cubes from their beaker and dropped it onto the hot plate. "You started out as a solid, but now you're turning into a liquid. You can't help but change, and even when you try to hide it, we can all start to see you melting." The ice cube transformed into a puddle, and Riley felt her stomach drop. "Whatever's on your mind, Riley, don't let it get the best of you, okay?"

Riley watched the puddle begin to disappear from the plate, gripping the beaker a little tighter in her hands. She wouldn't disappear. She couldn't. Things weren't going to fall apart.

"Looks like you two make a pretty good team!"

Riley dropped the beaker with a loud squeak. "Farkle! You scared me. Oh gosh, watch out for the glass." She stepped back, taking his arm with her.

Zay sighed, still smiling. "You stay out of the way, clumsy girl. I'll grab the broom."

"Sorry about that, Riley. I didn't mean to scare you," Farkle said.

"Oh no, it's fine. I was just lost in my head for a second," Riley stared off towards the window, still not quite back to earth. Farkle eyed her curiously.

"I guess not all partners can be a perfect team," he ventured.

"Right, we all can't be you and Smackle."

"Oh, I was actually talking about us."

"Us?" And just like that, Riley was grounded again. Farkle was pleased to have her full attention.

"Well yeah. I thought we did pretty well last year, making history and all. It's kind of a shame to have to change things up so quickly."

"But isn't this a good change? Don't you want to work with Smackle?" Riley looked back toward their station, where Smackle was still reading over a notebook.

"Of course I do," Farkle beamed. "but working with Smackle is different. It's more of a friendly competition. A loving rivalry. And as much as I enjoy it, that doesn't mean I won't miss being your partner. But Zay's probably gaining on me right now."

Zay slid past them, dancing the broom across the floor. "You don't wanna compete with all this, man." He called back. "You got the brains, but I got the moves."

"He's right." Farkle broke out into a poor robot move. "I don't have that kind of skill."

"But you do have quite a lot of charm," Smackle added, coming to his side. "Our lab prep is looking excellent, thanks to improvements by yours truly. His calculation were way off."

"See what I mean?" Farkle said, sending a wink Riley's way. "Always ready to outshine me." He wrapped an arm around Smackle's waist as the bell rang. "Let's head out to celebrate your genius."

Riley fell in line behind them, eyes on the two of them intertwined. Is that what the world had planned for her, sometime soon? Is that what would cause the eruption?


	5. Chapter 5

"And blueberry for you, Smackle." Farkle passed around the smoothies, grinning as he took his seat next to his girlfriend on the sofa, Lucas on his other side.

"Thanks Farkle, it was really nice of you to take us all out like this." Lucas said.

"It's my pleasure. I always like spending time with you guys, just talking." Glances passed around the room, all of them smiling uncomfortably, as they settled back into the silence they'd been sitting in for the last few minutes. "Yup. Just can't get enough of those great conversations," Farkle sighed.

"Why don't you show everyone about your painting, Maya? I'm the only one who's seen it so far. You guys won't believe this one, I'm telling you." Riley cleared her throat a little, and Lucas shifted in his seat. "Also, maybe Riley could speak about one of her sparkling talents. Both of you are so gifted." He fell back into his seat, clearly exhausted.

"Oh, well, I don't know if it's really finished yet," Maya said, pulling the canvas out from her bag. "I was thinking of touching up the red tones here, but, I guess this is what I have so far." She held the painting up on her lap, revealing the sky she'd been picturing in her head all day.

"Dang, Maya. You've just been carrying that around in your bag like some silly textbook all day? That needs a frame," Zay said, reaching out to get a closer look. "And maybe a gallery wall."

"Your work has come so far, Maya. I still remember that first drawing from the library," Farkle said. "Bet you still won't look into my eyes, though."

"Not a chance, Minkus," she smirked.

Riley smiled, remembering the night they all saw new sides of each other. Maya became an artist, and she and Lucas were just beginning to bloom. The four of them, from the very start. Maybe things really could return to a new kind of normal, just with a few new additions. Having Zay and Smackle around was new, after all, and that was perfectly fine.

"What was your inspiration, Maya?" Smackle asked, peering at the painting as Zay passed it over to Farkle.

"Well, ever since we were little Riley and I have been together, and we're not exactly alike, so people always made a pair of us. Dark and Light, Night and Day, Sun and Moon, so I did a portrait of us, in a way."

"So is it a sunrise or a sunset?" Lucas asked, the painting passing to him now.

"I don't think it's either, really. It's just the one moment where the light and the dark can meet together, one blending into the other. I guess that's the benefit of art. You can make up your own rules sometimes." Maya pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear, not used to being the center of attention for so long. It was different to be so complimented by her friends, especially for something like this. They'd been so willing to stand by her side to protect the class she loved, and they were supporting her even more as her talents progressed. That's hope, she thought. Reminding me that maybe some things aren't so out of my reach.

"It's beautiful, Maya. Just absolutely perfect. I love it." Riley held the painting up, taking in all of the color. It was clear that Maya had spent a lot of time with this one, getting the blending just right, balancing all the light of the sun with the dark of the moon, the stars dotting across the sky like freckles. It was the two of them, alright.

"You guys are too much sometimes," Maya said, doing her best to conceal the huge smile creeping over her face. She set the painting back down on the table, not hiding it away with her books this time.

"So what've you got, Riley? You wanna tell Maya and Lucas about how you broke a beaker today?" Zay asked, teasing her.

"Well, in the grand tradition of Rileytown, I do remain resident Superklutz champion," Riley said in her announcer voice.

"Oh, do go on, honey." Maya said, placing her elbow on her knee and her hand on her chin thoughtfully.

"Well, Zay and I were finishing up our lab, and I was just holding the beaker, but all of a sudden Farkle materialized out of thin air! And he came up right behind me, like this!" Riley gestured quickly, her arm heading straight into smoothie, sending it all over the table, and directly toward Maya's painting. "Oh no, oh my gosh,"

Riley grabbed the cup quickly, pushing it away from the canvas. In that second, the world seemed to collapse into slow motion.

"Riley!" Maya jumped up from her seat.

"Come on Smackle, let's grab some towels," Farkle said, snatching the painting away and pulling her towards the sink before she could respond.

"Don't you ever pay attention?" Lucas yelled, also up from his seat.

"Hey now," Zay said, moving quickly towards him.

Riley looked up from the table, already running napkins over the mess. "I really didn't want to ruin Maya's painting. It was an accident. I'm so sorry, Maya."

"You know, sorry doesn't always fix things, Riley. Sometimes you just can't make mistakes like that," Lucas continued.

"You do not get to talk to her like that, man," Zay said, pulling him back.

"Things can't always be even between you. That's just not how life works. Maybe it's time you learned that." Lucas pushed Zay away from him, still fuming.

"Lucas, you need to stop," Maya said, her voice calm but firm. "She didn't mean it. Sit down. _Now_."

Lucas looked between Maya and Riley and sat down again. His eyes seemed to clear up immediately, his face full of regret. "Riley, I didn't mean-"

"No, I get it. It's fine. I'm going home." Riley tossed the napkins into the trash and ran out the door, not stopping to look back. The tears were streaming down her face.

So that's what it's like, she thought, to see a volcano finally erupt.


	6. Chapter 6

"Bay window, bay window right now!" Maya climbed in through her usual spot, sliding onto the cushions in a huff. To her surprise, Riley was already there waiting for her, her head balanced in her hands. "Oh…Riles…Riley. Are you alright?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that? I'm the one who ruined your painting."

"Hey now, it's not ruined. Farkle and Smackle took care of it just in time. I might have to paint over a couple strawberry seeds, but that just makes it more authentic, right?" She nudged her, but she didn't move. "I know it was an accident, Riles. I forgive you."

"That's good. I'm glad your painting is okay." Riley still didn't budge from her position. She might as well have been a solid statue.

"What's going on, Riley?"

"I don't know anymore, Maya. Texas. New Years. Graduation. And now high school. I feel like we've been dancing in circles for so long."

"Squares, not circles."

"Maya."

"I'm sorry. Keep going."

"I knew that there was a pressure building, but I didn't expect things to ever go this way. I saw the way Lucas yelled at me, how angry he was. We're all starting to crack and I'm scared of what comes next."

"I know how you feel, Riley. I mean, I really _really_ know how you feel. But I thought things were okay like this. I know Lucas wants to talk to you soon. You should have seen how he reacted when you left…so you can talk to him and we can all apologize and then we can go back to all of us being friends. Being normal. Making it all stop." Maya reached out to put a hand on Riley's shoulder, but she shrugged it off.

"But we can't make it stop, Maya. That's the problem. We say one thing but we mean another. All these emotions we don't really understand yet are getting the best of us. Lucas lost control, so who's next? You? Me? It's all just building and building and soon all of us are just going to Krakatoa all over everything we love!" Riley threw her hands up in the air, revealing the few tears which were trailing down her cheeks. She paused, and then sank back down in her seat. "I know it sounds dramatic, okay? I just don't want us to explode, Maya. I can't lose anyone, but especially not you."

"Oh, Riley." Maya swept Riley into her arms, her head resting against her shoulder. She felt her own eyes start to well up, biting her lip. "I know your dad scared you with that lesson, but he's not always right, you know? This is our world now. And that means that sometimes we make the rules in our world. Just like with art. So maybe here, maybe this time, things can explode and we can still be okay."

"How could the world explode and everything still stay the same?"

"Not the same. The world is going to look different. And I think it's going to hurt. But it'll be okay. Nothing can ever tear us apart, do you hear me? As long as I've got you in my world, that's all I need to know."

Riley pulled herself away from Maya so she could look her in the eye. Her face was pink and stained with tears, but now she was smiling a little. Her girl with the long, blonde hair. Always by her side. "I love you, Maya."

"I love you too, Riley. No matter what."

There was a knock at the door, Topanga peering in as it slowly crept open. "Everything alright in here?"

"Yeah, just fine now," Maya said, rubbing Riley's shoulder.

"Are they hugging yet?" Cory appeared behind Topanga, pushing her into the room as he tried to see past her from the door.

"Just missed it," Riley said with a laugh.

"You coming to tell us that we learned our lesson. A+ and gold star miss Maya Hart. Why indeed I do declare," she said, tipping an imaginary hat.

Cory and Topanga laughed, leaning into each other. Looking at the girls it was easy to remember being so young and scared, having no idea where the world was trying to take you. Their strength and their love, though. That was something they'd built together. Something that couldn't help but last.

"What I hope you'll start to learn is that the lessons I teach you don't always have a clear, definite answer. I can't just walk in here and tell you everything you need to know, but I'm gonna do my best to provide you with all the information and skills that you need to learn, and grow, and to do good. And at the end of those lessons, if you two are together like you are right now. Well, then I think I've done the best I could do." Cory said.

"You girls are going to have a really wonderful year. We can talk all about it over dinner. Come on you little warriors," Topanga said, taking their hands.


	7. Chapter 7

Riley took a deep breath, looking toward the open door that led to her father's classroom. It had been a long night, running through the memory of Lucas yelling at her over and over, and the devastated look on Maya's face…it kept her up all night, even though she knew, or at least thought she knew, that Maya and Lucas weren't upset with her anymore. She'd let Maya take the train ahead of her after breakfast, making up an excuse about forgetting a textbook, but really she just couldn't stand the thought of their silence, knowing full well both of their minds would wander to the same boy…Unwilling, she pushed herself to walk through the door, quickly taking her seat at the front of the classroom.

"Hey, Riley," Lucas' voice was soft behind her. "Can I talk to you outside for a minute?" It was gentle, and even before she turned around she knew the look on his face: the concerned blue eyes, the constant half-smile he'd acquired along with all his southern charm. This was the Lucas she knew. Always trying to do the right thing. She could talk to him when he was like this, no problem.

"I don't know if now is a good time to talk," Smackle interrupted, leaning half-way out of her seat next to Farkle.

"What?" Lucas' Face melted from kindness to confusion. "Smackle, this really doesn't have anything to do with you. I am definitely not flirting with you."

"I know, I just don't see this being an opportune moment. Besides, here's Mr. Matthews. I suppose class is starting now. Oops!"

Cory looked between Smackle and Lucas, eyebrows raised, but then shrugged it off. "Oops? Maybe not. But good morning, everyone. Welcome back to class. Does everyone remember where we left off?"

"Maybe we can just skip that part," Maya offered. "I think we got it."

"Oh do ya now?" Cory responded.

"I for one already have an excellent understanding, Mr. Matthews, and would greatly appreciate moving forward with the lesson." Smackle's smile was sugary-sweet. Farkle peered at her, not sure what exactly was going on with her.

"Well, if you're all so sure. Let's move on." Cory turned to the board to start the lesson, but Farkle found himself distracted for once. He'd never seen Isadora so worked up before. She wasn't just teasing this time, she was scheming. He just wasn't sure what for.

"Smackle, what are you up to?" Farkle whispered.

"I'm keeping you all together, that's what." She smiled, ever-confident.

Farkle glanced at Lucas. He was sitting perfectly straight, hands folded, but twitching and fidgeting so much it was hard to understand how he was still in his seat. It was hard to see him so on edge. He knew he regretted his outburst. Texas Lucas was a part of him that he'd spent so long trying to bury and hide that once it showed itself, it became hard to turn back from again. But he was different now. All of them had made Lucas different. Hopefully, the change would be a lasting one.

"And that's all I've got for you today. Good work, guys." Cory brushed his hands off and took a seat at his desk.

In a quick movement, Lucas was in front of Riley. "Hey, I'd really like to talk to you soon, okay?"

"And I'd like to talk to you right now! Shall we?" Smackle practically leapt in front of Lucas, pushing Riley out the door before she could respond. "Anyways, you look great today. Love the outfit, love the hair. Let's catch up!" and in a moment, they were swept away into the chaos of the hall.

"You wanna explain that to me?" Lucas asked, turning to Farkle.

"I'd tell ya if I could."

"The girl may be a brainiac but you can't say she's not strange," Zay said.

"Honestly," Maya said, getting up from her seat. "I think she's the smartest of all of us." She glanced at Lucas, and left without another word.

"What's her problem?" Zay asked.

"I'd tell ya if I could," Lucas repeated.

"Yo, Matthews, is this why girls are always complaining about men? What are we missing here? Give us a hint, man," Zay called, waving down Cory's attention.

"Ay-ay-ay. Listen boys, when it comes to understanding women, I generally find that I don't, so I use the direct approach. When I don't understand, I try asking. See what that does for you."


	8. Chapter 8

Riley felt dizzy, like the world was spinning out of her control. Just when she thought things might be settling back into normalcy, Smackle had to throw herself into the mix. How long could they dance around the subject before something finally gave? She knew she had to talk to Lucas, and the next time she saw him, she knew she wouldn't let anyone else get in her way.

"Riley, you alright over there?"

"Yeah, I'm great. Thanks, Charlie."

He grinned at her, no doubt he still had some feelings left for her, even though he knew nothing could happen between them. He'd stayed away from her since the move to a new school, but being in the same photography class had pushed them together a little bit. There was only one dark room to use, after all.

"Your portraits look great. You really know how to capture your friends." He said, looking over her proofs.

"You think so? I thought they did most of the work." Riley smiled, looking down at the photos of her friends across her favorite city: Maya in the middle of Times Square, Lucas posing in Central Park, Farkle inspecting a stack of books at the public library.

"Mm, they helped I'm sure, but you don't just stumble upon work like that, you know? You have a real talent. That beautiful camera certainly doesn't hurt, either."

"My uncle Shawn gave it to me." Riley beamed, thinking of him. She almost wished he were here now. Maybe he could give her the advice that her father couldn't.

"Well send him my regards then. Oh, and Riley, no need to be a stranger, alright? I could probably use some photo tips, you know."

Although she probably wouldn't admit it, Riley knew Charlie was a charming guy. He was so sweet to her, never failing to pick up on all the little details, and yet, when she looked into his eyes, she didn't feel butterflies or any urge to be closer to him. When he left the room, she snuck a peek at his prints. Among them, a few snapshots from the view of the rooftop, and a candid of her from New Years, probably the last time she smiled that night.

She looked back over her own prints: Farkle, Maya, Lucas. Charlie was a good guy, but he wasn't a prince.

When the bell rang, Riley practically sprinted to the lunch spot, determined to meet Lucas before Smackle could interrupt her. To her luck, she was the first to arrive, so she paced back and forth waiting for the rest of her friends to meet her.

"I assumed you would be here."

Riley jumped, taken by surprise. "Smackle! You can't just sneak up on me like that."

"I'm sorry, Riley. But you can't talk to Lucas."

"And why on earth not? He just wants to apologize."

"Riley, I may not have been around all of you for very long, but you have to trust me. If you talk with Lucas now, things cannot possibly hold for much longer. That's the pressure we learned about, remember? You got a small taste of that already. This could mean no going back."

"Don't you think you're being a little overdramatic? This isn't going to hurt things, it's going to help them. You should learn to be a little more optimistic." Riley put a hand on Smackle's shoulder. "And see, here comes Lucas. If you don't mind, I'm going to take care of this now. Thank you for thinking of me, though. It means a lot that you're so worried about me." Riley waved to Lucas, who looked relieved to see her. They walked out toward the main door together, leaving Smackle fuming.

Outside, the sun was shining, and getting a taste of the fresh air Riley was beginning to feel more like herself. "You wanted to talk to me?" She asked, sliding onto the railing around the school's garden.

"Yes, finally. About what happened yesterday. I had no right to yell at you like I did. It was thoughtless of me, and I'm so mad at myself for letting that side of me take over. I know you don't like to see me that way. So, I'm sorry, Riley."

"You know, I spent so much time worrying about yesterday, but just being here with you now, actually getting to talk about it, it doesn't seem like such a big deal. I forgive you, Lucas." She felt the breeze pick up the ends of her hair and stretched like a cat in a windowsill.

He let out a sigh of relief. "That's so great, I'm glad to hear it. Then let's get on to it. I can't keep up with this whole "fairness" thing. It's running me into the ground here. When I compliment you or Maya, being expected to respond to the other in the same way is just exhausting. I mean, who does that?"

"Excuse me?" Riley blinked hard. He'd shoved his apology aside like it was nothing, only to criticize her in the next second? What was wrong with him?

"It's just not realistic. I just want to be genuine, and having to divide myself like this isn't the way to do that. I just want to act like myself."

"Oh, well I'm sorry it's so hard for you to be so admired," Riley shot back. "Can't imagine what I would do if I had to choose between two great people. Oh, wait, yeah I do."

"Riley you know you shouldn't be saying that." Lucas took a step back from her.

"And you shouldn't be saying what you are either! If you don't treat Maya and I equally, then what are we supposed to do?"

"I don't know, act like normal people? You pretend like the world is so clear cut sometimes, Riley, but we both know that's not actually true. Things get messy and complicated and sometimes things just can't work out the way you want them to, alright?"

"Things like you and me?" Riley's face went dark, and she turned away from Lucas. She couldn't believe what she was saying, but she could already feel the tears building. She couldn't keep this up for much longer.

"I didn't say that. That's not what I meant at all. Come on, Riley. Don't do this right now. This was supposed to help us, not hurt us."

"I think you've said enough right now. I'm done talking." Riley got up and turned her back to him.

"Riley, please don't run away from me again. Come back. Let's talk this through." There was no anger in Lucas' voice. He hadn't been angry, just so tired. He was unable to handle the weight of all the hopes Riley and Maya had placed in him.

"I just can't do this right now, okay? Just let me go right now. Please, just let me go." Finally, the tears were falling. Riley turned back to Lucas, arms limp at her sides while she cried. At the sight of her, Lucas felt his heart drop.

"I didn't mean for this to happen," he whispered, feeling himself choke up. He watched her as she wiped at her face, and put on a smile before heading back inside, never meeting his eyes. He'd never felt less like a hero.

When he got back to the gang's lunch spot, Smackle sent him a glare. She knew. Of course she knew. Genius girl knew everything, even before he did. She'd probably already predicted the end of the world. Maybe this was even it. He broke eye contact with her, unable to stomach the thought of so much destruction in one day.

"What took you, huckleberry? You missed out on some gold old Texan eating," Maya said, showing off her cornbread before taking another bite.

"It's nothing." Lucas said, trying his best to act normal. He sat down next to Zay, who eyed him carefully.

"Didn't really seem like nothing when Riley came by," Farkle said, pushing his lunch tray away from him.

"I thought we agreed we weren't going to bring that up right now," Maya said, the grin erasing from her face in seconds.

"Well if we're being honest here, Maya, you probably should be with Riley right now. I'm sure she could use someone by her side right now."

"Look Minkus, we talked. We're fine. Who made you head of Riley Committee all of a sudden. I know her, I decided she probably needed some time alone. But if you think she needs someone, then why aren't you with her? By all means, don't let me stop you." Maya snapped back.

"Could we all just take a step back here, please?" Zay said, slamming his hands down on the table. "The more we bicker, the worse things get for all of us, so you two can simmer down." He watched as Maya and Farkle slowly moved back to their seats. "Good. Now listen. We all act like we know exactly what's going on here, but the truth of the matter is we're all running around senseless. I'm looking at you here, Isadora. Even if you think you know what's best, that doesn't mean you can always get in the way of things. Sometimes holding something off is only going to make matters worse."

Smackle peered up at him, and sighed. "You may have a point."

"I'll take it," Zay shrugged. "And you, Farkle. Don't go sassing Miss Hart over here just because you're worried. You know she cares about Riley. Don't mistake that for a minute. And Maya's right. Riley probably could use a moment alone, that's why she's not here with us now. But if you want to be there for her, no one's stopping you. Maya, you don't need to get defensive. We're all doing our best here."

"I'm sorry, Maya," Farkle said.

"Yeah, me too," She replied, eyes on her tray.

"That's what I like to hear. Now Lucas," he said, turning to his best friend. Before he even began, Lucas seemed to shrink into himself. The jock turned into a weakling. "Man, you've got to pull yourself together. You're coming unhinged, and it's coming out at all of us as sideways anger. If you're gonna talk, talk. Now isn't the time for accusations."

"You're right, Zay. But your advice is too late. I hurt Riley, and as soon as I tried to apologize I hurt her again. I think what's best for me right now is just to keep a distance. And I don't just mean from Riley, but maybe…maybe from all of you."

"What?" Farkle looked up at him as he stood.

"I've got to take some time to think this all through. I'm not disappearing, just…just getting some breathing room, okay?"

"You mean you're running away from your problems again?" Maya turned to him, the disappointment clear on her face. "We've been to Texas and back, where are you going to go this time? How far away do you need to be, exactly? And for how long? Why do you need to keep pushing away a part of you that makes you who you are, huh? You're not going anywhere, Lucas. You're staying right here with all of us, and you're going to see this through. No one gets to walk away this time."

And just like that, the table went silent.


	9. Chapter 9

How could she have let this happen? How did she let her feelings get the best of her? She never wanted to push Lucas away. She couldn't stand all the things she'd said to him. For the rest of the day she'd had to sit through class with red, teary eyes and a fake smile. At least now she had some time to herself, and the weekend the shut herself in. She buried her face in her pillow once more. How long was it going to be like this? Sunshine one moment, a hurricane the next.

"Riley?" the voice was soft, almost quiet enough that she thought she'd imagined it. Riley wiped her eyes against her sleeve quickly before turning to the window. By now the sun had set and the stars were already out.

"Farkle? What are you doing here?"

"I know you might want to be alone right now, but after I saw how upset you were at lunch today, I just really I needed to make sure you were okay."

"Oh. Well, thank you, but I'm fine." Riley folded her arms and turned away.

"You don't have to lie, Riley. The others don't need to know about this. It's you and me right now. So please, say whatever you need to say."

Riley felt herself freeze. Even after all this time, she still wasn't used to the way Farkle could see right through her.

"I'm…confused. I thought the universe was trying to tell me something when I met Lucas. I fell into his lap and looked into his eyes and I thought I was meeting the world. I thought that meant we were supposed to be something."

"But aren't you?"

"Farkle. Don't be thick about this. After today, I really don't think Lucas and I are going to be together."

"I wouldn't be so quick to judge. Today was a bad day, don't let that define your entire relationship." Riley shrugged at him in response, so he continued, "But whether you're dating or not, I do think you're _something_. Maybe not in love, maybe not brother and sister, but you two are a great team. It's the secret of life, right? People change people. You're good for each other. You inspire each other to do the right thing, and to care for everyone around you. Isn't that what's really important?"

Riley looked at Farkle, suddenly at a loss for words. "I-I guess so."

"I know it's going to be hard for you, Riley. And I'm sure that no matter what you and Lucas are, you're still going to feel hurt for a while. But the universe is looking out for you, and for all the people past this building, past this place, across the world. Sometimes there are forces at play that we can't see, but I know there are great things waiting for you. I've always known that."

"How can you be sure?" Riley brushed the tears from her eyes, and Farkle couldn't help but smile a little, thinking of the little girl who was completely soaked after failing so miserably to bob for apples. Here she was now, so many years later.

"Because I've known it since we met in the first grade. You're full of sunshine, Riley Matthews. You bring a little light to all the people you meet. I guess I can't speak for everyone, but I know that when I'm with you, I never feel like a nothing. I feel like I really do have the whole world in my hands."

Riley stared, silent, her eyes welling up again despite herself.

"Oh Riley, please don't-" Farkle leaned to put his hand on hers, but Riley caught it instead. She'd only wanted to hold it, just to feel better, but it sent a shock wave through him. In that moment, they locked eyes with each other. Farkle felt his stomach drop. Before he could think about what he was doing he found his other hand against the small of her back, pulling him near her. His eyes closed. His heart raced. And then his lips met Riley's.

Not her chin, this time. He remembered that, though. His first "kiss." But this wasn't like that. This was the real deal. His moment. And in that moment he forgot where he was, got lost in the newness of it all. He felt her fingers laced with his, her hand on his shoulder, and almost wanted to smile, but in an instant it was over.

Riley pulled back, face paled, eyes still wet. "Smackle," she whispered.

And then it all came crashing back to him. Everything welling up inside seemed to pool around him now. He felt himself sink down into the bottom of it, everything going black. "What have I done?"


	10. Chapter 10

"Riley, I didn't come all this way for a 'PLEASE HELP I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON' text for you to sit here in silence. You need to talk about it."

"Nope. It's over. It's done with. The volcano exploded and now all of us are ashes smothering the high school. We can't talk, the air's polluted." Riley bounced around the room, picking at imaginary dust particles and adjusting perfectly straight picture frames.

"Riley."

"No, Maya."

"Riley. Ring Power."

"I won't! I won't talk about it! You say ring power like it'll make me tell you that Farkle was here, but it's not happening! I can't tell you that my thoughts are dribbling out of my brain because nothing makes sense anymore! I'm not losing it! I'm strong! I can persevere!" Riley pumped her fist into the air, froze, and then turned back to Maya sheepishly.

"Oh, honey, you did so well this time."

"I never make it, do I?" Riley paused, thoughtful.

"Nope, but that's what makes you Riley. So. Farkle was here. What happened?"

"Well," she said, sitting down at the bay window. "Farkle was in my room. You know him, right? Farkle Minkus?"

"Yes, Riley. I know Farkle." Maya deadpanned.

"Right, well, he just came to check up on me after what happened today, and we talked, you know."

"And then?"

"Well, he said some nice things that made me tear up a little, and then he got worried, and then our hands touched, and then we looked at each other all funny, and then wekissedorwhatever."

"Excuse me?"

"I said, um, weKissedorWhatever."

"Riley, please use your words."

"We Kissed! Farkle and I kissed."

"Whoah, whoah, whoah. You're telling me that Farkle actually, for real, definitely not on your hand or chin kissed you?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm telling you, Maya." Riley said, in her best serious voice.

"That cheeky devil," Maya said, impressed. "What happened after the kiss?"

"Well, he kind of ran away. He thought of Smackle."

"Seems to be a theme for us. You have feelings for him?"

"Yes. No. Definitely feelings. I just…don't really know what kind of feelings. I mean. He's Farkle."

"And why would we ever be talking like this about Farkle, Riley?"

Riley's face melted into a grin. "Because he's great."

"Yeah, he is. But I bet Smackle would say so, too."

Riley seemed to fall apart at the mention of her name, pulling her knees into her chest. "Oh, God. I feel so awful, Maya. I didn't think I could ever hurt someone like that. I don't know how to apologize to her when I still feel…however it is that I feel."

"And what about Lucas?"

"Lucas is...a summer rain."

"So you still have feelings for him?"

"Yes. No. Definitely feelings." Riley bit her lip.

"Talk to me. Let it out."

"I think…I feel...that a summer rain is something amazing. It's when two forces come together to form something new. But, I know it's also something that doesn't last. It's beautiful for a minute or two, and then it's gone. I think that maybe my minute with Lucas could be over, that maybe he doesn't feel the same way about me anymore. I'm not sure that being with him is what the world has planned for me. I feel lost, Maya."

Maya paused, quiet, considering her words very carefully. Hearing Riley say that she didn't think she and Lucas would be together lit a spark in the little hope she had left, but she pushed it down. All she cared about now was helping Riley. She needed her sunshine back.

"So what are you going to do?"

"I guess I don't really know," she said with a laugh. "when Farkle was here, he said something about having an important relationship with someone, even if it's not what you expected it to be. If that's what the world has planned for me, then I guess that's what comes next." She sighed, running her hands over the cushions of the bay window.

"You're being really mature about this, Riley."

"Maybe on the outside," she said, looking down at her feet. "On the inside I still feel like a princess who just watched her prince ride away. I just feel like if I don't slow down then things are just going to keep spiraling, you know? I'm tired of crying so much. I'm tired of being so confused. And I think I'm tired of being the only one of us who's supposed to know exactly how they're feeling." She stopped, an idea flashing in her eyes. "You know what? I am. From now on, I'm gonna sit back and figure this out for myself, on my own time. If anyone's got something they need to tell me, they can come to me. But I'm keeping my mouth shut."

"That's a lot of attitude there, miss."

"Oh, Peaches, you don't know the half of it."

What she forgets, Maya thought. Is that _I_ know how I feel.

/

"I'm really beginning to think that I'm the smart one around here," Zay said, standing over Farkle, who was lying across the counter. They'd met at Topanga's after Farkle called in the morning, ranting wildly, unsure of who else he could talk to. "You _kissed_ her? What were you thinking? Like things aren't complicated enough around here?"

"I really don't know. I just panicked when I saw she was crying, and I wanted to make her feel better, and then it just happened."

"You don't have to stop tears with your lips, you know!"

"I know! I mean, I thought I knew. I really don't know what came over me. But you really can't tell the others about this. I'm worried about a certain reaction…"

"Farkle, you cannot keep this from your girlfriend."

"Smackle? No, I'll absolutely tell her. She more than deserves the truth. I was talking about Lucas."

"Oh, brother. I don't know what's up with that boy lately. I haven't seen him so tense in a long time. But as much as I hate to say it, you're probably right. I don't think he could stand to hear about something getting in the way of whatever's going on between them. It would set him off again."

"Right, so we just have to make sure Lucas doesn't find out."

"Lucas doesn't find out what?" A familiar voice interjected from behind him.

"Gah!" Farkle fell from the counter.

"Lucas, what _excellent_ timing you have," Zay said, eyes bugging out of his head. "My man Farkle here nominated you for a school, uh, spirit award, isn't that right, buddy?" From the floor, Farkle gave a thumbs up. "Yeah, see, he just really wanted the whole thing to be a surprise. Wouldn't want you to be disappointed if you lost, you know?"

"Oh, come on Farkle. I'm tougher than that. I can handle a little rejection. Why didn't you just tell me?" Lucas asked.

"Oh, I just really thought you wouldn't like it if you heard. Didn't want to upset you," Farkle groaned.

"Did a screw come lose or something? What's up with you, man. I can practically hear you buzzing." Lucas said, poking Farkle with his foot.

"Nope, this is 100% great and perfectly normal behavior right now. Nothing could possibly be different," he replied, rolling over.

"You gonna get off the floor there, pal?" Zay asked.

"I actually find it to be quite comfortable down here."

"Of course you do. Anyways, Lucas, it's good that you're here. Do you have a plan?"

"Yeah, I think I've got something figured out, though not without a little help from a certain blonde we know. I owe it to Riley to apologize, and to do it right this time. With something that comes from the heart."

"Sounds perfect. Whatcha got?"

/

"You want me to help you with what now?" Maya asked. He'd showed up at her doorstep, goofy grin and all, raving on and on about some master plan he'd put together.

"I want to paint a portrait of Riley, to show her I'm sorry, and that I care about her. She feels like I'm only nice to her to keep things even, but that's just not the case. If I do this for her, she'll always have the reminder there to look at."

This boy, Maya thought, looking at him. How does a person believe so much in something? Where do you get all that hope from in a world like this? "Well that's a nifty idea you've got there, Bucky McBoing-boing, but you forget that you can't even paint a cloud, let alone a portrait of Riley."

"Well, maybe not without help of an excellent tutor," Lucas said, making a puppy dog face in Maya's direction.

"Oh no, no, no. You think you can just slide on up to me all cute and cuddly and I'll help you just like that?" If anyone brought it up later, she would deny ever even thinking about calling him cute.

"No, I don't, but I do know you'd do anything to make Riley happy."

Maya paused, looked him up and down, then rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll help you, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna like it."

"Whatever you say, Maya."


	11. Chapter 11

Farkle pulled his phone out of his pocket, checked his texts, and nodded solemnly. "She'll be here any minute. Please remind me that I'm doing the right thing."

"You are, Farkle. If you don't tell Smackle what happened between you and Riley, you're breaking any chance for there to be real trust between you. You have to keep things honest. There's no other way."

"Being with Vanessa's really taught you a lot, huh?"

Zay smiled. "It has. But I know that just from being a good friend."

The bell at the door jingled. "Farkle? You wanted to talk to me?"

"Yeah," Farkle said, shooting a quick look back to Zay. "Let's talk outside."

Farkle pulled out Smackle's chair for her, doing his best to be a gentleman. He smiled, but it felt completely unnatural on his lips. He just hoped Smackle wouldn't notice.

"Is something wrong, Farkle?"

Who has he kidding? She was a genius. Of course she would notice. "Yes, well, no. I mean. There's something that I need to tell you about. It's very important."

"Well, you know that you can tell me anything. Go right ahead." Smackle smiled, but it was clear she was nervous.

"You're right," He said. He took a deep breath. "All my life, I've thought of myself as a man of science. I've wanted to take over the world, be the genius that I am. But somehow I forgot all of that. I can't even believe this right now, so I'll just say it. I kissed Riley, Smackle. I'm still not even entirely sure how it happened, but I know that it's my fault, and I'm so, so sorry. I'm telling you now because I believe that knowing the truth is important, and that there's no way to trust someone if you can't tell them when you make a mistake. It must be terrible for you to hear all this, but I do hope you can forgive me. I really care about you." He alternated between looking into her eyes and down at his shoes. Stuttering a little, he crossed his arms and waited.

There was a pause. Smackle had watched his eyes so intently while he spoke, but now they looked glossy, as if she couldn't see him at all. He could feel Isadora processing, running through the logic. He knew she was taking her time on this one.

"Did you know," Smackle said, eyeing Farkle up and down. "That after a volcano erupts, the soil around an area is filled with new nutrients. That way, even when what was there before has been destroyed, there's a chance for new things to grow." She paused, pushed up her glasses. "Farkle, I don't want you to think that you're wiping us away in this moment. I will always care for you, and I know that you will always care for me, too. That's why, after some time, I believe that we will be true friends. But we're not what's going to grow right now. There's something new waiting for you. And I sincerely hope you thrive, my arch nemesis."

Smackle stood and extended her hand with a bittersweet smile, shook Farkle's, and then held it for a moment, looking into his eyes. "I…I really did like you."

In that moment, Farkle pulled her into his arms and felt her go stiff against his chest. She didn't wrap her arms around him, or even simply lean against him like she normally did. She just coiled into herself until he let her go. "It doesn't have to be like that, Smackle. I wasn't thinking. If you give me another chance, I can promise you that I'll never make a mistake like this again. We can stay together."

Smackle smoothed down her dress and took a step away from him. "That's exactly the problem, Farkle. You've got this whole situation under a microscope, but you're still missing the big picture. I can't sit next to you and pretend I don't see what's going on. You're right about one thing, though. You weren't thinking. You were feeling. And now, you've got a lot more of both to do." She turned away from him, and didn't look back.

Farkle watched her walk away, arms useless at his side. Suddenly, the door opened and Zay rushed out.

"No, no, no, where is she going? This is _not_ how this is supposed to go. She's gonna turn around, just watch. She's gonna realize that she's making a mistake. She'll come back." For once, he'd lost his calm exterior. He was panicking.

"No Zay, I don't think she will." Farkle watched until Smackle was gone. Some genius he turned out to be.


	12. Chapter 12

It was always hard waking up to a reality where she wasn't a bunny farmer. Riley rubbed her eyes and picked up her buzzing phone. It was Lucas: _Meet me at Topanga's in a hour?_ What on earth could this be about, she thought. She yawned and rolled out bed, staring with sleepy eyes into her closet. If it was gonna be another tough day, she might as well look cute for it.

When it was time to meet, she walked in to see a pacing Lucas, walking around with something covered by a sheet.

"Nervous about something?" She asked.

"Oh, Riley," he turned. "Right on time. Come here, I've got something to show you."

He led her over to a table and they both sat down. Riley noticed Lucas seemed practically giddy, a dramatic change from the past few days.

"Riley, do you remember when we went on our first date, and I told you it would be a moment I would remember forever?"

"Well of course I do." Riley smiled.

"Good, because I'm hoping this is going to be another one." He pulled the sheet to reveal a canvas, smiling with pride. "I made this for you, so that whenever you felt alone, you could look up at it and remember that I really do care about you."

It was a portrait of her with her hair full of sunflowers, practically sparkling with color. She looked magical. She looked like a princess.

"Lucas, this is…you made this for me?" Riley asked, shocked. She took it in her hands, marveling at the detail in every brush stroke.

"Well, I had some help with the painting part, but I promise I worked as hard as I could, and that it was my idea to make it for you. I wanted to give it to you to really say I'm sorry, and now you'll always have the memory."

"Help? So you made this with Maya?"

"Yeah, she gave me some lessons. Don't you like it?" He faltered, scared.

"Of course I do." Riley placed a hand on his shoulder to reassure him. "It's beautiful. Thank you, Lucas." She reached out to hug him. "This means more than you know."

Behind them, another person approached rapidly. "Riley, may I speak to you? Or, actually, I think this is how you all handle these sorts of things." Smackle reached out for Riley's arm and pulled her outside the door with her. Once the door closed, she turned to face Riley.

"Smackle, I was kind of in the middle of something there." Riley said, sending a shrug back toward a confused Lucas inside.

"Trust me, this is important. I want to address this head on before things become complicated. I know what happened between you and Farkle. I broke up with him."

"Oh," Riley sputtered. "Smackle, I'm so sorry." Suddenly she wasn't sure what to do with her hands.

"Do you like him?" Her voice was quiet, but firm.

"I…I honestly don't know how I feel about anyone right now. Things have been so complicated recently. I know I feel something, but I have feelings for other people, too. And I don't even know how he feels, really. I'm sorry I don't have a better answer for you."

"I can empathize with being confused. I may not understand emotions very well, but I understand patterns. I understand the science of attraction. Even when Farkle and I were together, I could see how he was drawn to you. He wasn't even very quiet about it either, what with loving both you and Maya ever since the first grade. I was just never quite sure of your own intentions, so I never thought much of it until…," Smackle paused, adjusted her glasses. "The point is, I don't think there should be any secrets between us. I've seen what secrets can do to friends now, and I don't want that for us. I don't hate you, Riley. I don't think I ever could."

"Smackle, I hope you know I never, ever wanted to hurt you."

"Oh, of course I know that. You're a good person, Riley. I would never expect you to wish harm to someone. Just, it's going to take me some time to really be okay. I know logically that Farkle and I didn't have what someone would call a 'normal' relationship, but it's the most I've had. And just for a little while, I may need to keep a distance to process that."

"Smackle, of course. Whatever you need to do, please don't be afraid of offending me. And please know this. Whatever you and Farkle had, it was real. Even if the label wasn't exactly what people expected it was. When you care about someone, it's the feelings that the two of you have for each other that matter, not what anyone else has to say. And just so you know, I really respect you. Even aside from your intelligence and creativity, you're incredibly strong."

"Thank you," Smackle said smiling a little. "I believe…I believe this is the moment where we hug."

"See, you really are a genius." They wrapped their arms around each other, both smiling, feeling lighter than ever.


	13. Chapter 13

"Morning, Riles," Maya called as she climbed through the bay window. "Ready to face the day?"

From a mountain of pillows on the bed, there was a small "mmph" sound. Riley had hoped that if she hid herself well enough, school might just forget about her. Unfortunately for her, Maya wouldn't.

"Whatsa matter, honey? Long weekend?" As much as she loved her, Maya had trouble understanding how her poor girl always found herself in the center of such delicate situations. What was it about her that brought that on, Maya wondered. Was she just too naïve? Had she kept her safe for too long?

"Schmer boff gunna beef ter," the pillow said.

"English please?" Maya pushed a few pillows out of the way to reveal Riley's pouting face.

"They're both gonna be there."

"Yeah, they are." Maya agreed, beginning to dig Riley out from the avalanche. "And you're gonna march in there just like your sweet, abnormal self would do on any other day, and you're gonna be perfectly fine."

"I am?"

"You are."

"How do you know?"

"Because I'll be right there next to you, or just a call away. I'm not above ditching class for my girl. You know that."

"Yeah," Riley said, finally free from her pillow fortress. "I know. But something's definitely gonna happen."

"And what makes you so sure about that?"

Riley pointed to the doorway, where her father had just walked in. "Almost ready in here?" he asked.

"Yeah, you're probably right." Maya said solemnly. "Cmon, you." She pulled Riley from the covers reluctantly. "Let's see what he's got."

"I got pancakes is what I got," Cory said, heading to the kitchen.

/

"You've gotta go in," Maya said, standing with Riley outside the classroom. They'd been hovering by the doorway for a few minutes, Riley pushing Maya into the lookout position so she could avoid running into Lucas or Farkle before class started. She felt like she was full of secrets and just about ready to burst.

"I could switch classes," she suggested. "I could drop out of school and make my way to Paris to become a mime."

"Let's go, honey." Maya took Riley's hand. Riley followed her in with a large, pouting frown.

She settled into her seat quickly, doing her best to avoid eye contact with either of the boys. If she didn't notice them, they wouldn't notice her.

"Morning, Riley." Lucas said. So much for that plan.

"Good morning," Riley replied. "Great morning. The best morning."

"Oh yeah? Why's that?"

"Group projects!" Cory interjected. He pulled a brown paper bag from his briefcase and set it down on his desk. "Your presentations are on the effects on the Spanish-American war. Alright, let's shake things up." Cory rattled the paper bag in his hands.

Riley turned to Maya, panicked. "I _told you_ something would happen," she whispered.

"Girls? Do we have a problem here?" Cory asked.

"The only problem is how this is absolutely the opposite of a problem," Riley giggled, sending crazy-eyed smiles toward Lucas and Farkle. Lucas sent a confused half-smile back. Farkle didn't seem to react.

"Well, we'll all pretend that was completely normal. Here we go. First group, we've got Zay, Smackle, and…Maya. You'll be group one. Then we'll have Lucas, Riley, and…Farkle. You guys are group two." As Cory continued reading, Riley felt her fear being pushed against by all of her goofy impulses. She had to bite her lip to contain a fearful, silly grin.

"Go ahead and meet with your groups to plan. I'll be here if you have any questions." Cory said, sitting back down at his desk.

"Wow what a great group," Riley chirped. "The best group, probably, am I right Farkle my best buddy genius pal?"

"Whatever you say," Farkle mumbled.

"I'm sorry, did I miss something? You guys are honestly starting to freak me out."

"Miss what now? No, no, no" Riley began, but Farkle cut her off quickly.

"Smackle and I broke up. Riley's been trying to stay positive because I didn't want people to feel bad for me and make a big deal out of it. Right, Riley?" Farkle eyed her, so serious, effortlessly calm.

"R-right," she said. "just trying to keep things normal."

"Oh man, Farkle. I'm sorry, man. You should've told me."

Farkle shrugged in response. "We should probably focus on the project. That'll be what's best, I think," he shot a quick glance at Riley. "We can meet after school at my house, if that works for you guys."

"Can Maya come with us?" Riley asked, turning back to peek at her with her own group. She turned, catching Riley's eye, and waved a little.

"Doesn't she have her own project to work on?" Lucas asked.

Riley stretched her arm out to Maya, who shrugged, and gave Riley a thumbs up in response. "You'll be fine," she mouthed.


	14. Chapter 14

If Maya could have one wish in this moment, it would be to send Lucas Friar somewhere else. Somewhere far, far away from her where he wouldn't get her into trouble. Somewhere far enough so that she could finally get him out of her head. And maybe her heart, too. But for now, while class was still in session, she just had to deal with him.

"Honestly, Maya. You should've seen the look on her face when I showed it to her. She really loved it." Lucas gushed, remembering Riley's reaction to her portrait. That kind of painting was a far cry from what Lucas was working on now, another sad blob, this time in shades of purple. They were supposed to be mountains, he'd claim.

"Did she? I'm glad." Maya didn't smile. She could lie through her teeth, but she couldn't stop it from hurting. She was slipping, she knew. She was just so tired of keeping up the act. How far is Hong Kong, she wondered. Iceland? Belgium?

"Yeah, we kinda got cut short, though. Leave it Smackle to have the worst timing, am I right?" He chuckled. "Hey, speaking of Smackle, do you know what happened between her and Farkle?"

Maya stopped moving her brush. "Why?"

Lucas blinked. "Uh, because they broke up, and Farkle's acting pretty weird about the whole thing. Well, I mean, not Farkle-weird. Just weird weird. He doesn't even seem sad, really. I guess I don't even know what he seems like. He's like, frozen or something."

"You should probably just mind your own business, Ranger Rick." Her heart was pounding. Could he hear it?

"Are you seriously telling me you don't care at all about what happened between them? Aren't you worried about them?"

"Look, I don't have to wonder about them because I already know what went down, and I'm telling you, as a good friend who knows what's best for you, to just stay out of it. Now can we please drop the subject? I came here to paint, not to gossip." Maya was aching. Her eyes were glued to her canvas. She couldn't look at him. He would know everything if she looked at him.

"Alright," Lucas said, more curious than ever. "I won't bring it up to you again."

/

"So Zay," Lucas said, eyeing him up and down. "You hear about Smackle and Farkle?" they were sitting in the hall with their lunch trays. Lucas had intercepted him at the end of the cafeteria line before he could sit down with the others. He was on a mission.

"Oh, yeah, I heard about that." He replied, not looking up.

"Oh, and that's all you have to say about it? Our friends break up and all you've got is 'I heard'?"

"Look man, I don't really know all about all this." Zay pushed his tray away, suddenly losing his appetite.

"Tell me what you know." Lucas took hold of Zay's sleeves so that he would look at him. His voice was demanding, but not angry. There was a hint of a smile on his lips. He was having fun. He was investigating.

"You won't like it," Zay said, shrugging his hand away. "I'm warning you right now, so that if I go any further, you'll only have yourself to blame."

"Tell me everything."

/

"So, you over here a lot?" Lucas asked. He and Riley were waiting outside the door at Farkle's place, ready to meet for their group project.

"Farkle's? No, not really. I think we spend the most time at my house, but that's probably just because I have the most board games," Riley said with a giggle. "My dad can't resist them."

"Right," Lucas said firmly.

"Hey, right on time," Farkle said, opening the door for Riley and Lucas. "I've got all my notes in bag, and if we need anything else you guys know the wifi password. Do we need any snacks? Drinks?"

No matter how many times she came over, Riley was always blown away by the size of Farkle's apartment. There seemed to be so much open space, especially because Farkle spent so much time alone in it. She wondered, for a moment, how lonely she'd feel if it were her apartment.

"I'll be just fine, but thanks for being such a good host, Farkle," Riley said, touching his shoulder.

"Sure. Lucas?"

"Nah, you know I can live without fancy creature comforts." He looked over Farkle's head, impatient.

"Well, alright. Let's get to it then," Farkle said, leading them to his room.

"Go ahead and make yourselves comfortable. I'm just gonna grab my textbook," Farkle said, gesturing Riley and Lucas to one side of the table where his notes were spread out. "I did a little reading while I was waiting for you guys, and I think the topic is actually pretty interesting this time around. Your dad picked a good one, Riley."

"Oh, hey, why don't you sit next to Riley, Farkle?" Lucas said, a drop of sarcasm mixing into his words. He took the chair on the other side, crossing his arms and leaning back.

"Um, alright then. Suit yourself." Farkle took his book off the shelf and walked back, sitting down next to Riley. Lucas watched them carefully. "So, I guess we can start with the basics? 'What caused the Spanish-American war?'"

"You're right, that's an easy one. The war started because America decided to try and steal something that didn't belong to them. But you know what? Even if they did end up with what they wanted, they always knew they were playing dirty." Lucas was icy cold.

"Lucas," Riley said. "Are you alright?"

"Who, me? Oh, I've never been better."

"Lucas, you can tell us if something is wrong." Farkle said, hands frozen over his place in the textbook.

"Wrong? Well, I didn't think anything was wrong until I noticed the knife sticking out of my back." He leaned back to the table so that he was close to the two of them again.

"Excuse me?" Riley asked.

"Farkle kissed you, didn't he, Riley?"

Riley went silent. She looked to Farkle, lost, but he didn't meet her eyes. He was still, focused only on Lucas.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. You know, I didn't believe it when I found out, but that look seals the deal. You get what's going on now, smart guy? Here's your lesson: when you come between Riley and me, you're breaking up an empire."

"Lucas, I know you're upset, and you have every right to be, but you don't get to talk to him like that." Riley said, closing Farkle's book and pushing it out of the way.

"You don't have to protect me, Riley," Farkle said. "I'm alright." He looked at her now, just for a moment, before turning back to Lucas.

Lucas rolled his eyes and got up to pace around the room. "You see what he's doing now, right? Staying all calm and collected while I'm upset just to make me look like a crazy person. Tell me you see right past this, Riley."

"Farkle is your friend, Lucas," Riley said quietly. "He would never hurt you on purpose."

"Yeah and America and Spain were the greatest pals. You know I can't believe I didn't see this coming. The guy who I considered my best friend, the one who I never saw as a threat. I thought Charlie was bad, but now here you are. And poor Smackle, huh? I was sure confused when I found out when you two broke up, but now it all makes perfect sense. How do you think she feels right about now?"

"Smackle and I have already talked," Farkle said. He still hadn't moved from his chair, arms open, taking in everything Lucas said to him.

Lucas paused, then directed his attention to Riley. "You're really choosing him now? You're gonna let him hurt you, too?"

"I'm not choosing anyone!" Riley yelled. She knew that she should feel scared, because seeing this side of Lucas always frightened her, but now all she could feel was anger. "Maybe you would know that if you had actually asked us what happened instead of just yelling and insulting us. And you know what? You keep saying Farkle kissed me, but what if it was me, Lucas? What if I started it?"

"You wouldn't do that. You don't hurt people like that." Lucas stopped moving.

"But what if I do? What if I _did_ hurt people this time?" Riley stood, getting teary-eyed. "I do everything I can to be a good person, and a good friend. I always want the people I care about to be happy, but I'm not perfect, okay? I make mistakes. I hurt people's feelings. I do the best I can, but sometimes my best just isn't enough to keep everyone happy all the time. I hurt you, Lucas. I hurt Smackle. And right now, I think we're all hurting each other. But just because I made a mistake doesn't mean you get to forget that despite all of this, we're all best friends. I'm not part of anyone's empire. I don't belong to anyone but myself." She stopped for a minute to compose herself. "I should probably go," she said, picking up her bag.

Farkle looked between Riley and Lucas. He felt heavy, again, sinking down lower and lower into some invisible ocean. By now, he might as well have been sitting on the ocean floor. All the air in his lungs was running out.

"No, Riley. You stay. Lucas, you and I will have to talk, I know, but it seems like right now you both could use a minute alone." Farkle looked between Riley and Lucas one last time as he walked out. Of course, he thought. Of course.

A moment of silence seemed to pass between them like an eternity. Riley on one side of the room, Lucas on the other, both of them feeling broken.

"Why does this keep happening to me?" Lucas asked, finally. He was looking at his hands, balled tight into fists. "I don't want to be like this." He looked back up at Riley, and now she could see for the first time that there were tears in his eyes. "I didn't know I could be so jealous. I don't want to treat you like this. You deserve so much better."

Riley dropped her bag and ran to him, pulling him into her arms.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered into her hair.

"I know," she said.

"I didn't mean it. I care about you. I trust you."

"I know," she said.

"Do you love him?"


	15. Chapter 15

"Let's just get this project over with," Maya grumbled, chin resting on top of her history textbook. "I just want a hot chocolate and a week long nap." A few seconds later, a cup appeared next to her. "Oh, thanks mom," Maya said, sitting up.

"Study hard, baby girl," Katy said, waving as she moved back to her tables.

"Smackle, take it away," Zay said.

"The Spanish-American war is a very complicated topic," Smackle said. "And the reasoning behind the fighting is plagued by lies and misconceptions just as much as it is by the aggression of two competing empires. What was fact and what was fiction wasn't immediately clear, but they could point to someone and know to call them 'enemy.'"

"These lessons really are starting to hit a little too close to home," Zay said rubbing the back of his neck.

At this, Maya put her mug down and sat up completely straight. "Tell me this was just a funny Zay-joke. Tell me things didn't get any worse," Maya begged.

"I told Lucas about what happened between Riley and Farkle."

"You did _what?_ " In a second, Zay's shirt collar was balled tight in Maya's fist. His face was inches away from hers.

"I'd really prefer it if you left our partner unbruised, Maya," Smackle said.

"Yeah, and I'd prefer it if he kept his big mouth shut for once, but I guess we can't always get what we want, huh?" Maya said, pushing Zay back into his seat roughly. "I can't believe you. After how much he's been slipping recently? He's going to go ballistic. They don't deserve that."

Smackle cleared her throat a little. "I don't know if you're quite in the position to say what they do or don't deserve. Though, I do have to agree with you overall, Maya. This wasn't your truth to tell, Zay."

"Believe me," he said, adjusting his shirt. "I didn't want to, but he wouldn't leave it alone. He was all fired up. If I didn't tell him, he was gonna find out straight from the source, and I didn't want them all firing off at once."

"He's right," Maya said with a sigh, shoving her textbook away from her. "We're done with war."

/

" _Riley? Are you home? Can I come over?"_ Maya asked almost before Riley could finish her 'hello'.

"Oh, now? Yes, I'm home." The call ended with a click, and in a moment the bay window opened and Maya slid in.

"Hey," she said.

"Wait, you called from outside?"

"I was already on my way up, but I figured I should ask and make sure, ya know. Are you okay?"

Riley watched Maya dusting herself off curiously. "Um, yeah, of course. What's going on?"

"I know what happened. Well, I mean, I don't know what happened and that's why I'm here, so you can tell me, but I think something happened because I know what Zay said," she huffed, out of breath.

"It's fine," Riley said. "Don't worry about it." She sat back down on her bed, picking up her phone.

"Don't worry? What do you mean don't worry? You really expect me to believe that nothing happened?"

"I didn't say that nothing happened. I just said not to worry," Riley said, glancing at Maya for a moment as she scrolled through her phone.

Maya walked over to her, took the phone out of her hand, and dropped it on the bed further behind her.

"Are we going to talk about this or not?"

Riley looked up at Maya and sighed. "I just think maybe us talking about Lucas right now isn't the best idea."

"Riley what are you talking about?"

"Why are you here, Maya?"

"Because I was worried and I needed to make sure everything was okay."

"And why were you worried?"

"Because you're my friend, Riley!"

"Maya," Riley said, standing so she could put a hand on her shoulder. "You were worried about Lucas. Tell me I'm wrong and I'll believe you."

Maya looked away from Riley, staring at the ground.

"I know how much you care about him."

"But he likes _you_."

"He likes both of us, but when you think that you're _supposed_ to be with someone, it can make you believe a lot of things."

"Riley what are you saying?"

"Lucas blew up at Farkle because he thought I belonged to him. He called me a piece of his empire, like I wasn't even a person anymore. For a minute, I was excited that he was fighting for me. I mean, I knew it was wrong that he was so angry but just to feel for a moment, like he really did care…" she trailed off. "I care about him, but that really bothered me, Maya. It hurt more than any of the yelling ever did."

"So what does that mean?"

"It means that…I'm tired of hurting people, and now I want to make up for the time I spent doing that. This is me telling you not to step back this time, Maya. I see the way you look at him. Maybe's it's time he did, too."

"But what about _you_?"

"What about me, Maya? You spend all your time worrying about me when I know that you're hurting inside. Please, please, think of yourself now. Talk to him. See what happens when you two take a moment and really look at each other. If nothing happens, then nothing happens. I belong to myself. Anyone who can't understand that, well, they just don't understand me."


	16. Chapter 16

"Oh," Smackle said, walking into what she had thought was an empty classroom. "Hello, Zay."

"Hey, Izzy."

"You're not usually here so early," she said, taking a seat next to him. She still hadn't broken her old habit of being the first one in the classroom, just to shake up the competition back at Einstein Academy.

"Yeah, just didn't really feel like roaming the halls, I guess." He settled back into silence, fiddling his hands around.

"Do you feel guilty?" She asked suddenly.

He looked up at her, peering at him over her glasses, concern too real for her to realize that her question was a little awkward, if not completely unexpected in the first place. "Uh," he began. "Yeah, I guess I kinda do."

"You're worried about your friends."

"Yeah. _Our_ friends."

Smackle smiled. "They're going to be okay, you know. Even if you didn't tell Lucas about what happened, he would've found out eventually. I know it must have been weighing pretty heavily on Farkle, no matter what he might have said. He can't stand lying."

"You know, I know we don't hang out a lot, but can I ask you something kinda personal?"

"Shoot."

"How are you handling all of this so well? I mean, I'm not confused or anything cause sometimes I think you're like a super-human on top of being super smart, but ya know. I know this can't be easy for you, right?"

"No, it isn't easy," Smackle said, adjusting her glasses. "but I follow the laws of the universe. And, after a long observation with a system of trial and error, the universe does not dictate that Farkle and I belong together. Besides, I know my worth without him. I don't need a boy by my side. And, to put it plainly, I can't be the only one who sees how he looks at that girl. It's only getting worse."

"You think it's gonna be them?"

"Morning," Farkle said, walking in.

"I think it's going to be interesting to watch," Smackle said, winking back to Zay.

"What will?" Farkle asked turning around.

"Presentations, I hope," Cory said, walking in. "How are yours going so far?" Cory asked, briefcase in hand.

"Uhh," Farkle responded.

"Good!" Cory said loudly. "Take care of it before I have to give them a grade."

"Are you alright?" Smackle asked. He was surprised she was taking an interest in him. It made him more nervous than ever. "I mean about more than just the project," she added.

"Yeah, I think so. News travels fast, I guess?" He asked, looking toward Zay.

"Sorry, man."

"No, really, it's not a problem." Farkle said with a shrug. "I mean, maybe it should've bothered me more when he was yelling at me."

"He yelled at you?" Zay interrupted.

"Yeah. I let him get it out of his system, then left him alone with Riley to let them talk it out. I guess I should be more upset about the whole thing, but I just felt kind of…numb, I guess. The only part that hurt was. Uh, well, nothing to worry about," Farkle said quickly, brushing away his last statement. Smackle raised an eyebrow, which Zay didn't fail to miss. They were onto him.

"Don't leave us hanging here, man." Zay said, leaning in.

"Farkle," Smackle said, putting her hand on his shoulder. "We're on your team for this. You can tell us. Zay and I are here to help. Right, Zay?" Smackle smiled. Of course, she hadn't known Zay was on his side. He'd never told her that, or even had the guts to say it out loud, but watching the way the kid went all puppy-dog around Riley, well…it was certainly more heartwarming than he could stand to admit.

"Yeah, right again super girl." He said, placing his hand on top of her's over Farkle's shoulder.

"I don't think you guys know what you're talking about," Farkle said, brushing their hands off.

Smackle looked back to Zay, who rolled his eyes. Then, she had a brilliant, evil idea. "Farkle," she said, eyeing the door. "Riley and Maya are going to walk through that door any minute now. Either you let Zay and I help you through this, or I tell Riley what actually upset you yesterday. Do we have a deal?" She smirked.

"Dang," Zay said.

"That's completely unfair."

"So is kissing another girl," she said, still smiling. "But you get over it. Yes or no?"

Farkle took a look at the door, and just down the hall he could see Riley and Maya walking into the doors of the school.

"Fine," he said. "We have a deal."


	17. Chapter 17

"Now that is _not_ a very Smiley-Riley," Charlie said peering over her shoulder at her set of portraits. They were black and white film, self-portraits. She was etching white designs around her head while he leaned over her.

"Oh, yeah," Riley said, glancing at him. "It's been a little rough lately, I guess."

"You, Friar, and Hart hit another rough patch?"

"You could say that." Riley thought about the two new names tacked onto the list, then pushed the thought away. This wasn't the time for that. This was the class where she got to forget about all of them for a minute. The moment where she got to catch her breath.

"A girl like you deserves the best," Charlie said. "Remember that, okay?"

Riley's ears perked up at this. Leave it to a Matthews kid to never know when to stop trying to fix something. "Charlie? Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Why are you so nice to me? After all of this?"

"Well, I guess I still care about you, despite my best interests, Matthews. You're a tough gal to get over, you know?"

"So you're nice to me because you still like me?"

Charlie paused, then set his camera down. He pulled his chair up close next to Riley. "I'm nice to you because you're a good person, Riley. Whether I like you or not doesn't matter. I'm not going to turn all ice cold just because you don't have feelings for me. I'm not that kind of guy, you know? Just because what I thought we were and what you thought we were turned out to be different, it doesn't mean everything had to fall apart."

"So you care about me, even if we don't feel the same way?"

"What are you getting at here, Matthews?" Charlie raised an eyebrow.

"It's been rough lately. I'm just trying to piece things together. Thank you." She smiled at him. It was nice to smile again.

"Well, I don't have all the answers. But it is easier when someone asks a question, isn't it?"

"Now you sound like a fortune cookie."

"They can't all be winners," Charlie said with a wink.

"Actually, I think they can."

/

"Riley, we can't miss class. Well, I mean, I don't really mind. But you can't miss it." Maya said.

They were back in Cory's empty classroom at the tail end of lunch. Riley had dragged her there, but now they running up close to the bell. Maya was at the front of the class while Riley stood at the blackboard.

"I've got an important lesson, and I really don't think it can wait," She said, taking a piece of chalk in her hand. She moved to the backboard and etched it out: Head and Heart.

"Riley we've already had this lesson. Sense and Sensibility, remember? You need both."

"This is a little different. I guess I'll have to be more direct." She moved back to the board, and before her title, she added Maya's name. "This is the beginning, okay? This is where it all starts."

"I don't get your lesson, Riles."

"Alright, let's try again. Maya, why did Lucas ask you to help him with a painting?"

"I don't know. Because I'm an artist? Because he was doing something nice for you?"

"And you were trying to do a nice thing when you pushed me into his lap, right? Or when you got that white horse, or when you asked him out so we could go on a first date. You were trying to make me happy, right?"

"Riley, I really don't see how this is important. We have to go." Maya stood.

"No!" Riley dropped her chalk. "Please stay," she said, a little quiet.

"Okay," Maya said, sitting back down. "You're right. I wanted to make you happy. I wanted to give you what you wanted."

"And you liked him, didn't you Maya? You stepped back?"

Maya went silent.

"Why did Lucas yell at me at Topanga's?" Riley asked, refusing to quit.

"Because he lost his temper."

"Why?"

"Because you made a mess."

"No, why?"

"Because he thought that you ruined my painting."

"Right. Are you seeing it yet? We're back to the beginning, Maya. Why did Lucas ask you to help him with a painting? He can't paint a purple cat, let alone my face. Why did he ask you?" Riley said, moving closer to Maya's desk.

"Because you're important to the both of us."

"How long you wanna keep this up, Hart?" Riley asked. "I got all day." She crossed her arms and tapped her foot, trying to look as menacing as possible.

"…because my art is important to me," Maya said quietly.

"Good," Riley said. "Keep going."

"Lucas tried to defend me, and he hurt you by mistake, so he knew he needed to apologize. But he picked something important to me again."

"Excellent," Riley said.

"And the white horse, and the date, and the subway…"

"Where do they all start, Maya?"

"Back at the beginning," Maya replied. "They all start with me."

"There's my smart girl," Riley said, tucking her hair behind her ear affectionately. "Head and heart. What we think we feel, and what we really feel. Where we keep coming back to."

"But what about what happened at Farkle's?"

"Yeah, what about that?" Riley asked, moving back so she could tap at the blackboard. "What happens when you believe something that isn't really true?"

"Like believing something…or someone…is part of your empire?" Maya asked, suddenly feeling a pang in her heart for Riley.

" _Exactly_ like that."

"Whoah."

"I know."

"Do you think he gets all that?"

"Well, I didn't until I talked to Charlie last period." Riley laughed.

"Wait, wait, wait, you mean to tell me you got all that from cheese soufflé?"

"Well, not all of it, but he helped. He put the pieces together. Maya, I don't know if this really proves anything, but I know that this is important, and I know that you can care about someone even if what you thought you were going to be isn't what you become. I think before we can be comfortable with each other again we need to see what you and Lucas are...and what you become."

/

Back at the lunch table, Zay and Smackle had Farkle cornered.

"Why are you so against this, Farkle? This is good advice. We're rooting for you." Zay couldn't believe the stubborn attitude this boy had. He had to stop hanging out with all these intellectuals. It was really tiring him out.

"Because I'm not the hero in this story. I'm not the one who gets to ride in on the unicorn and save the princess. I'm the geeky scientist, and I'm just fine staying that way." Farkle said, shoving his lunch away from him.

"So fine that you've lost your appetite? So fine that you can barely look at Riley without feeling like you're melting inside? You haven't been sleeping, have you Farkle?"

He shrugged.

"Man, you got it bad. Just admit it."

"So what if I do? That doesn't do anything to change her feelings."

"You don't know her feelings, Farkle," Smackle sighed.

"I saw the way she and Lucas looked at each other."

"And then you left." She replied.

"Yeah, so who knows what happened between them?"

"Not you! Would you just tell her, you dummy? Did you even talk about that kiss after it happened?" Zay asked, exasperated.

"No," he mumbled.

Zay threw his hands over his face. "I can't bear to look at him, Izzy. This kid thinks he's a genius but he might be the dumbest boy I've ever met." He took his hand away and leaned toward Farkle. "Like we said, you tell her or we do. What's it gonna be?"

"Yeah, what's it gonna be?" Smackle asked, excited her plan was working so well.

"I'll talk to her, I promise."

/

"So you'll talk to him?" Riley asked.

"Yeah," Maya said, standing to face her. "I promise."


	18. Chapter 18

"Riley, honey?" Topanga asked, peeking through the door. "You alright in here? You've been quiet. You're never this quiet." Topanga had watched Riley twirl spaghetti around her fork all night without managing to take a bite of it. Not even Auggie could seem to pull her out of her thoughts.

"Can you come sit with me?" Riley patted the open spot next to her at the bay window. "It's pretty out tonight. Lots of stars for the city."

Topanga brushed through Riley's hair with her fingers. "What's on your mind?"

"You and dad went through a rough time once, right?"

"Yes, we certainly did," Topanga said.

"How did you know things were going to be okay?"

"You want to know the real secret? I didn't know things were going to be okay. I was very hurt, and I didn't know if I could trust him anymore. Your father made a mistake, but he still knew we were meant to be together. It took me a long time to forgive him. And I also had to realize that what we had meant forever for myself, even if he already believed it. Why do you ask about that?"

"I'm pushing Maya and Lucas together, and I really do think I'm doing the right thing, but it still makes me kind of…I don't know, a little sad I guess. I think they might be something special. And I think that Maya stepping back for me may have gotten in the way of that. So I want to give them their chance to see what they are."

"And this is different than you stepping back for Maya? "

"Yes. How I feel about Lucas hasn't changed. He's not my boyfriend, and he's not my brother. But I care about him. I always will."

"And a part of you is sad to let that possibility go, even if it's not what you know now?" Topanga watched as Riley nodded. "Honey, there's nothing wrong with taking some time to mourn. Just because you want your friends to be happy together doesn't mean you have to be fully okay with all of the changes that might come right now. You can still be sad. You're allowed to feel what you feel."

/

"You know this feels ridiculous. Maybe this was a bad idea."

"Maya, you already dragged me here. You might as well go through with whatever it is you've got planned."

Lucas was sitting in a chair Maya had pulled up in front of her bed, positioning it so that he was in front of her whiteboard, where she'd written "Head vs Heart." It was her makeshift classroom for the night.

"Okay, well, it's a lesson about us, right? Oh, but it's different from the first time we learned it. Sense and Sensibility, you know? And it always comes back to the beginning." Maya said, her mind becoming scattered the longer she looked at him.

"Was I supposed to understand any of what you just said?"

"Okay, yeah, I'm not so good at this whole lesson thing. I just. I think what you think you feel…isn't how you actually feel? Does that make sense?"

"What, like I'm brainwashed or something?" Lucas was skeptical.

"No, no, not brainwashed. Just, maybe not so aware of the bigger picture?"

"Maya, what are we talking about here?" Lucas leaned forward.

"I think, uh." Maya paused, gathered her strength. "I think you pushed away your feelings for me because I pushed you toward Riley."

There was a long silence between them. Maya felt her hands shaking and pulled them behind her back so he wouldn't see. How long could she stand here, letting him look at her while she was so open, until she couldn't stand it anymore?

"And what was I supposed to do, Maya? Beg for you to drop the act while you were throwing me at another girl?"

"So you do care?"

"Of course I care, Maya. You know that. You just never made it easy for me. I figured if the universe was pushing me toward Riley, it must have meant something. But the universe was really just…you."

"Look, I'm sorry for what I did. I really like you, okay? And I have for a long time. I just, I just pretended like I didn't because I didn't want to hurt my best friend. But it came out anyways. At first I saw you on the subway and I thought you were cute or whatever, and that was easy enough to hide but then…" Maya stopped, trying to slow herself down. "But then I saw what you would do for your friends. How you always stood by them, and how much you cared, and how you always wanted to do the right thing. I saw the side of you that you wanted to keep hidden, but it never scared me. So if I ruined any chance of things between us, then I'm sorry. I like you for all of you. I don't know how to stop." Maya was right in front of Lucas now, almost stuttering from spilling her heart so quickly.

He stood up, not breaking eye contact with her. "You remember what happened the last time we were alone together, right? You, me, and the stars?" Lucas asked. He took a few steps toward her until he was standing only a few inches away. "If you're telling me that this, that we, are what you want, I'm not going to be able to hold myself back this time. Is this what you want, Maya?"

From the open window between them the neon lights were flashing red against their silhouettes. A soft breeze blew in, and Maya remembered the stars. Instead of answering, she pulled Lucas to her, pushing up to stand on her tiptoes until they collided with each other, a clumsy kiss, both of them swaying for a moment until his hands found her waist to steady her. Everything electric.

"Whoah," Lucas said, hands still around Maya as they pulled away.

"I know."


	19. Chapter 19

Farkle Minkus had never considered himself one to give up easily, but a week had passed, and he still hadn't found the courage to talk to Riley, much less look at her for too long. He'd put almost their entire project together despite her protests, and sent a few texts to Lucas to clear the air. As far as he was concerned, he was perfectly faded into the background at this point. And who could blame him?

He'd watched the way Riley and Maya stared and giggled when they thought Lucas couldn't see. Of course. It was the obvious ending, and what could he do about it? It wasn't his fault he didn't have a freak-face, right? He watched the stars of his ceiling twinkle around Pluto and groaned. Zay and Smackle were just trying to embarrass him, weren't they? Well, if he wasn't there, they wouldn't be able to embarrass him. He pulled his comforter up to his chin. He deserved a sick day. Maybe a couple.

Farkle's phone buzzed: A text from Riley. _Coming to class, partner? Smackle stole Zay away. Could really use your scientific expertise here._

He sent a reply: _Sick_

Her response came in seconds: _You alright? Need anything?_

He sent back a " _Nope"_ hoping to end the conversation, but Riley responded with one last text: _Okay! Let me know if/when you're feeling better, or at least ready for some company. We can bring you soup or something!_

Riley Matthews, ever a fixer, even when she had plenty to keep her occupied, thought Farkle. He was glad she'd fixed the mess they were in. He was glad she happy. That was all he ever wanted for her, after. He didn't mind being the one left broken. If it was anyone, it should be him.

/

Back in the Chemistry room, Riley moved back to Smackle and Zay's table. "I guess Farkle is sick. Mind if I join you guys?"

"Oh, not at all," Zay said, looking up from his phone. A moment later, the message _Love sick, am I right?_ Appeared on Smackle's screen.

"How are you doing, Riley?" Smakle asked.

"Me?" Riley said, scribbling in their log book. "I'm alright. Why do you ask?"

"I couldn't help but notice the comfortable behavior of two friends of yours? Maya and Lucas, to be specific?" she said, peering over her glasses.

Riley smiled. "They're figuring things out for themselves. I'm happy they're happy."

"So you would say you don't really have feelings for Lucas at this point?" Zay asked, leaning over Smackle's shoulder.

"Not romantic feelings, no," Riley said. "Why so curious?"

"Not curious at all!" Zay said quickly, moving away from Smackle and quickly rushing off to grab something from the other side of the room.

"I think what Zay meant to say is that we're happy you're feeling better, Riley. It's nice to not have to worry about having feelings for anyone, right?"

"Oh, well, I don't know about that," Riley said quietly.

"What was that?"

"Oh, nothing! Just, yeah. It's nice not to worry about things."

"Interesting," Smackle said, cellphone in hand. "Very interesting."

/

"I don't mean to interrupt your canoodling, but I have a proposition I believe will be of interest to the both of you."

"Smakle, we're just sitting here," Lucas said. He and Maya were sitting in front of their lockers for lunch while Riley went to study in the library.

"What do you even think canoodling means?" She said, horrified.

"I believe that Riley and Farkle belong together, but I need your help to unite them. I can trick, er, persuade Farkle easily enough. I understand how his logical mind works. But I don't understand how Riley views the world. She has so many feelings all of the time. It seems exhausting."

"And why should we be interested in this plan?" Lucas asked.

Smackle weaseled her way between them so she could sit in the middle, looking back and forth between the both of them.

"I wouldn't ask you for help if this wasn't something I didn't really believe in, and something I knew I needed more help for. Zay has already agreed to do what he can, but I believe this will take all of us. These two are stubborn when it comes to changing the way they see things. They just need us to help guide them along."

"Where is Farkle, anyways?" Maya asked, scanning the halls.

"Home, feeling sorry for himself, no doubt." Smackle said, rolling her eyes. "He's been avoiding Riley so much he doesn't understand what's happening between you two. He thinks Lucas and Riley are the ones who are together."

"You think this is what it'll take to make them both happy?" Maya asked.

"Absolutely." Smackle said, confident.

"Then of course we'll help. They're our best friends." Lucas said.

"We'd give them the world." Maya finished.

"Alright. Let's get to it!"

/

"Riley, my sweet summer child," Maya said, throwing open the front door. "Do you know what we need? What we absolutely must have as soon as possible?" She asked as she ran from the door, leapt, and landed across Riley's lap.

"What do we need, Peaches?" Riley said, patting her head as she sat up.

"A party," Maya said. "A celebration for making it past what we thought was the end of the world! Come one come all to the great Disaster Dance. What do you say, Riles?"

"Well you do know how much I love dancing," Riley said, rising from the sofa while wiggling her arms around.

"Yeah, if that's what you wanna call it." Maya grimaced. "Just think of it: all of us with some great music, up on the roof, all the lights of the city. Kinda romantic, don't you think?"

"Romantic?"

"Romantically…festive?" Maya shrugged. Too far, Hart, she thought.

"Okay. I think a party is a great idea. I'd love to help host."

"Great, but leave the invites to me, alright? I don't want this to turn into a huge rager or anything. That's what happens when you blab about high school parties, you know. All these randos show up and trash everything. You wouldn't want that, would you? So, let's pretend like it's our little secret. We'll just call it, oh I don't know, a get together or something. Some silly excuse."

Riley mimed zipping her lips shut.

" _Excellent_."

/

"So, it's a surprise part for Riley? But it's not her birthday for months." Farkle twirled his spoon around in his smoothie. Lucas and Zay had shown up at his door, and basically dragged him to Topanga's when they saw that he wasn't quite as sick as they had thought. They at least got him the smoothie, though.

"Well, maybe so, but then that wouldn't be much of a surprise if we did it then, would it?" Zay asked, smiling proudly.

"Or," Lucas said, rolling his eyes. "we can admit that it's not really about her birthday."

"Lucas, man, what are you doing?" Zay asked, suddenly serious.

"It's just about cheering her up, making sure she's back to her sunshine-self after these past couple weeks. I think she could use a nice pick-me-up from her very best friends. Don't you, Farkle?"

When Farkle wasn't looking, Zay breathed a sigh of relief.

"Isn't she happy enough? Ya know, with you?" Farkle asked, avoiding eye-contact.

"I'm not dating Riley, Farkle."

"you're not?" Farkle asked, a little too quickly. He cleared his throat and leaned back in his seat, trying to act casual, but his heart was racing. They weren't together? They hadn't been together this whole time?

"He's not. That's why Smackle and I are letting you off the hook. No more ultimatum. We don't think that's right of us."

"Thanks, Zay," Farkle said, clearly relieved.

"We just want to have some fun," Lucas said. "So you'll come? Help us out?"

"Absolutely, whatever you need."

" _Excellent."_

/

"So we're all on the same page now, right?" Smackle said, huddled with Lucas, Zay, and Maya.

"Riley thinks we're hosting a big party," Maya said.

"Farkle thinks we're surprising her, and that he's the one bringing her in."

"But really, they're gonna be all on their own up there, under all those twinkly little lights, and they'll finally have to talk to each other about all this." Zay said.

Smackle nodded, looking around the room " _Excellent_."


	20. Chapter 20

"Now that's what I'm talking about." Maya stood proudly, hands on her hips, admiring her handiwork. She'd hung lantern strings and lit a few candles, making the whole place glow in golden light. In the middle, she'd set up seats with drinks and snacks, though there'd be plenty extra when all was said and done. After all, this was a party for two. She leaned down under the table and flipped the switch for the speakers, connected by Bluetooth to her phone. Smackle had figured out how to rig their controls, and Zay had figured out the playlist. Everything was going according to plan.

"Are you sure it's not too much?" Riley asked, walking out behind her. She did a little twirl, her tulle skirt billowing around her. Her hair fell in soft waves around her face as she leaned over to fiddle with its suspender straps.

"It's perfect." Maya had dressed up herself, a yellow pleated dress with over the knee boots. She had to seal the deal for Riley after all. "Oh, I did forget to call for the pizza though. Why don't you get the table all set up?"

"Sure," Riley said, moving to set out the cups and silverware.

As soon as she was back down to the apartment, Maya pulled out her phone. "She's totally buying it. Is Farkle ready? You can send him up whenever."

"Yeah, we're on our way up, Maya," Lucas said, winking at Zay while Farkle walked ahead of them. "Good to go."

Maya was already waiting for them at the door when they arrived. "Hey guys," she whispered. "Riley's waiting in her room. She still doesn't know any of you are coming to surprise her, so we're all good. Farkle, why don't you take these streamers up and get ready? And Lucas and Zay, can you two go grab the pizzas? They're waiting downstairs."

"On it," Farkle said, heading up to the roof.

Lucas and Zay walked halfway to the elevator before Farkle was gone, then turned around and walked right back to Maya. She peered around the corner just to make sure Farkle was gone, then stepped back to invite Lucas and Zay in. "Riley's already up there. Come on, Smackle's got everything set up in Riley's room. Let's watch the magic happen."

/

Farkle stepped out onto the rooftop and dropped his streamers. "Oh, no! Uh, surprise, Riley!" He said, quickly jumping and posing, upset to she'd already found out about her secret party.

"What?" Riley asked, spinning to face him. He watched how she twirled, all dolled up. She didn't look like she'd just stumbled into a party. She looked like she'd dressed for one.

In that moment, the speakers went live, playing soft music.

"Um," Farkle said, backing up to the door. "I'll be right back." He pushed against the door, but it didn't budge. "Um," he said again, louder. "I'm sorry, I don't understand what's happening here."

"You mean Maya didn't invite you to our party?" Riley asked, confused.

"Of course she invited me to your surprise party," Farkle said, pushing against the door. "I just didn't realize she was so bad at surprises. Lucas and Zay are right downstairs, and they'll be back with the pizza any second."

"But Maya just left to order the pizza…and this isn't a surprise party," Riley said. "I've been planning it with Maya this whole time, she just said we had to keep it on the down-low to keep out…oh," Riley said, falling back into a seat.

"Oh?" Farkle asked, giving up on the door and walking over to sit with her.

"They tricked us," Riley said, gesturing to their surroundings. "I don't know why, but they set us up. They're not coming back with pizza anytime soon."

/

Meanwhile, from Riley's room, Zay, Smackle, Lucas, and Maya sat crowded around Smackle's laptop screen, hooked up to the camera, speakers, and automatic lock she'd set up on the rooftop.

"Took them long enough," Smackle laughed. She pulled up the controls for the speaker, and spoke into a mic. "Please enjoy the party, you two. You certainly have a lot to talk about."

"Great. Now everybody shh," Zay whispered. "This is where things get interesting."

/

"This is ridiculous," Farkle whined.

"So ridiculous!" Riley repeated, stomping her feet.

"It's absurd."

"So absurd!"

"It's practically diabolical," Farkle said, crossing his arms.

"So diabolical!"

"I mean, imagine how they got to thinking that we need to be locked out here all alone in order to have a proper conversation with each other! It's insane!"

"Well," Riley said quietly.

"Well?" Farkle leaned up from his seat, adjusting himself so he could see her properly. The light flickered on her face in the candlelight. She was glowing for real this time, not just in his head.

"Well, you have been kind of quiet recently." Riley had made herself a little plate of snacks, but only seemed to push them around her plate instead of eating them. Farkle watched her, silent, tracking the way the light wind blew her hair around her shoulders.

"You're only proving my point here," Riley said with a small laugh.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm paying attention." He said, looking back at her eyes. It'd been a while since he felt safe enough to really look at her. To be this close again.

"I guess it is kind of silly, since we're such good friends and all, but I was starting to think that you didn't want to hang out with me anymore or something. I thought maybe I ruined things."

Farkle's mouth opened despite himself. "How could you ever think that?"

Riley set her plate back down and shrugged. "I guess it's easy to imagine something like that when the other person just disappears."

"Oh," Farkle said, leaning back to look up at the sky. She knew that would sting him, and it did. The guilt forced him to look away from up, up towards the sky. It was a New York night, hardly any stars. But they were all there, hidden unlike the light from the moon above them, looking down over everything. "I'm not upset with you, Riley," he said simply. "Don't worry about it."

"Okay," she said.

"Okay," He agreed.

"So, we can go back to normal now?" He was surprised about how upset she seemed to be over this, her face still full of concern.

"Yeah, of course."

It was silent, except for the music they couldn't turn off, still playing quietly. Riley's foot was tapping, clearly anxious.

"Maybe I should try the door again now," Farkle offered.

"I'm sorry Lucas yelled at you," Riley said quickly. "You didn't deserve that, and I guess you might've talked to him about it, but I'm sorry that I had anything to do with it."

"Riley, I don't blame you for any of that. I'm alright, really."

"Okay."

"Okay…so we're fine now?"

"Yeah."

They stared at each other for a moment, both so uncomfortable, but refusing to break their eye contact.

"Riley, what is it?" Farkle finally asked, standing up to pace around.

"Aren't you going to apologize?" She was staring down at her lap now, humiliated.

"…apologize?" Farkle asked, pausing for a moment.

"You hurt my feelings. Normal people usually say they're sorry when that happens."

"Riley-"

"Look, I get it, okay? You can stay away from me. If that's the new normal, that's okay." Riley looked around the roof. "Now can you please let us out, now?"

/

"This is painful to watch," Maya said, shielding her eyes. "Just let them out of there already. This isn't solving anything. It might just be making things worse."

"I don't understand how I could be wrong about this. The logic is all there. If they're such good friends, they should be able to talk through this. It should click. They should be happy." Smackle said, hand hovering over the button to unlock the door.

"You've got the logic down, just maybe not the emotion," Lucas said. "We've got them started. Let's let them out and see what happens." He pressed the button, watching Riley and Farkle leave on the screen.

This was gonna be harder than they thought.


	21. Chapter 21

It was late. Too late for Riley to still be awake, thinking about the rooftop fiasco. She was sitting in the middle of her bed, over the covers, with her knees pulled into her chest. Is that what losing someone felt like? Is that what the universe wanted her to learn from this? Not everyone can stay. She rolled over, shoving her face in a pillow and yelled into it.

When she'd come back down from the roof, Maya was nowhere to be found, and her cellphone was off. But of course, Lucas and Zay were involved, too. What were they up to, playing around with their emotions like that? There was a tap at the door.

"Maya?" Riley asked.

The window lifted open, and Farkle climbed in. "Nope, it's me."

"It's late," Riley said, turning away from him.

"I know, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up."

"I was still up," Riley said. "What do you want?"

"Riley, I'm so sorry." The sound of Farkle's voice made her turn back to look at him, and from the small light of the window, she could see that he'd been crying. "I pushed you away because I was afraid. I thought I was doing what was best for you, for you to be happy. But I was just being a coward. And I hurt you. I never, ever want to hurt you again. Please tell me you know that. Please tell me you don't want me to go forever."

"Farkle," Riley said, pushing off her bed to run to him. She took him by the shoulders while he hung his head. "I don't want you to go. That's what upset me in the first place. You're staying right here, okay?"

Farkle looked up, smiling through his tears. "You forgive me?"

"Of course I forgive you," Riley said, pulling him into her arms. "I would never let you go. Don't you know that?"

"Riley?"

"Hm?"

"Can I tell you something?"

Riley pulled away to move to the bay window. Farkle wiped his eyes with his sleeves, looking down at the floor. "The reason I walked away was because I thought you and Lucas were going to be together. I couldn't imagine anything different. I saw the way he reacted when he found out we kissed and…I thought that was it. And I'm not proud of it, but I was jealous. I couldn't stand it. I wanted you to be happy. I still do, of course. I just. I didn't know how it would feel to see you happy with someone else."

"Farkle…"

"Hold on," he said, interrupting her. "I know this is going to change things between us. I understand that. I've spent a long time staring at my ceiling thinking about it. But I don't think I'll ever sleep again if I don't go through with this." He paused, took a deep breath. "I've loved you since the first grade, Riley, but I never knew just how much until right now. I've already told you that you're made of sunshine, but you're so much more than that, too. I've seen you smile, but I've also seen you cry. You're brilliant, and incredibly complex. After all this time, I'm still learning about you. And sometimes…I feel so much that I can barely stand to look at you."

Riley stared at him, mouth open. They were just a few inches from each other, hands almost touching in the small space between them.

"You feel all that, and you still tried to run away from me?" she asked.

Farkle put his hands up, "I'm sorry," he said, laughing a little. "I can go now, if you're tired." His smile hadn't left, but Riley could see he was hurt. He'd made a mistake no scientist should: he'd settled on an outcome before the results were available. He still wasn't seeing the big picture.

"Do you want to know how I felt when you kissed me?" Riley asked suddenly.

"Okay," Farkle said, noticing the space between their hands.

"It wasn't like a summer rain, or fireworks," she said.

"It's alright, I understand," Farkle said turning to the window. "I'll let you sleep."

Riley grabbed his hand before he could leave. He turned back to face her, stunned. "You didn't let me finish," she whispered. He just stared at her, nodding a little as a sign to continue.

"When you kissed me, it was just you and me. You and me and the bay window, the safest place I've ever known. I didn't see stars or sparkles or whatever it is people tell you you're supposed to see in fairytales, but I felt our hands together, and the way you smiled a little…I felt all of it. And sitting here with you now," Riley said, looking away from him as her cheeks turned red. "I can't help but remember."

Farke was taken aback, his eyes wide. He stared at her for a moment, suddenly finding it hard to even speak. "Y-you what?"

Riley shifted her hand from his wrist so that their fingers laced together. She smiled at all his nerves. "Do you feel that?" she asked.

"It's like a spark. In the best way," he said quietly.

"Yeah," she said. "I feel it, too. Do you understand now?"

Farkle moved away from her a little, falling back onto the wall. "I'm not dreaming this, right?"

"Want me to pinch you to make sure?" Riley asked

"Yes please," Farkle said, quickly followed by an "Ow! Oh, wow. I'm awake." He looked down at their hands, shaking his head, but smiling wider than ever. "How did we get here?"

"You've loved me since the first grade. It just took me a while to catch me up." Riley pulled on Farkle's hand so he'd move close to her again. "I love you, Farkle." she said, grinning.

"You and me?" He asked, squeezing her hand in his.

"You and me."

And just like that, they found each other again, barely able to contain their smiles as their lips met. That was the moment Riley knew. This is what the universe had wanted for her all along.


End file.
